Machine for stapling sheets.



E. T. GREENFIELD.

MACHINE FOR STAPLING SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, I918.

1,287,584, Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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T- M/ a 54. M 1 1 H 1;: 11 jiiim= A TTORIVEYS E. T. GREENFIELD.

MACHINE FOR STAPLING SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-8,1918.

1 ,584. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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lNI/E/VTOR i: r

///J ATTORNEYS srArEs PATE T OFFICE.

EDWIN '1. GREENFIELD, YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GREENFIELD MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, INC OF YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF YORK.

MACHINE FOR STAPLING SHEETS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN T. GREEN- FIELD, a citizen 'of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Stapling Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

-The invention relates to the securing of several layers, preferably sheet paper, to-

. gether by means of a staple.

cult. if not practically impossible, to subsesequently separate the papers without mutilating them, as the staples are in effect permanently secured in place due to the bending of the ends of the legs of the staple inwardly under the cross-bar of the staple, or in other words toward each other.

An object of the present invention is to construct a machine so that it can be emout mutilating or injuring the papers which are secured together by the staple.- This I accomplish by constructing the machine so.-

' that when the staple is driven one leg will be bent inwardly under the cross-bar of the staple and the other leg will b bent outwardly away from its companion leg. This is accomplished by constructing the anvil of the stapling machine in such a manner as to deflect both points or ends of the staple in the same direction, for example, to the left, as the staple is being driven. staple thus driven can be subsequently removed,-as by drawing the staple to the right. One feature of the invention relates to the constructing of a'machine whereby at one time a staple can be driven into several sheets of paper so as to be permanently secured in place by causing the free ends of the legs of the staple to approach each other as the staple is being driven and so that at another time the machine can be employed to drive a staple in a manner to permit its ready removal from the papers it swured Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed January 8, 1918. Serial No. 210,815.

together, as by causing both legs of the staple to be bent in the same direction, as to the left, while the staple is being driven.

The invention relates to the obj ects or features above referred to and to other features which will be hereinafter described.

As showing a specific manner in which the invention may be realized reference is i made to the drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings- Figure 1 is a side elex'atiompartially broken away, of a stapling machine showing a vertically movable plunger thereof in its upper or elevated position. In this figure there is clearly shown a strip of staples employed in the machine and also a set of feeding pawls operated by the upward movement of the plunger to effect a forward feed of the strip of staples.

Fig. '2 is a horizontal view taken as on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. .3 is a horizontal view taken as on i the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1

looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view, partially broken away, of the front end of the stapling machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the rear end of the stapling machine shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are views showing the anvil employed in the stapling machine and the manner of mounting it on the base of the machine. :In Fig. 6 the anvil ,is shown in the position which it occupies when a staple is being driven so as to permanently secure the sheets of paper, while in Fig.v 7 the anvil is shown in the position which it occupies when a staple is being driven so as to temporarily secure the sheets of paper to.- gether. In Fig. 6 and also in Fi .7 there are indicated a staple in position to be driven and the plunger for driving the sta le.

Fig.-8 1s a view showing the orm the staple assumes when it is bent by the anvil when in the position shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the form the staple assumes when it is bent by the anvil when in the position shown in Fig. 7 y t Fig. 10 is a perspective view 0 the plunger employed in the machine for driving the staple.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional View of the stapling machine taken as on the planes indicated by the broken lines 11-11 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 12 is a vertical transverse sectlonal view of the stapling machine taken as on the planes indicated by the broken lines l212 of Fig. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 13 is a vertical transverse sectlonal view showing the lower end of the plunger in the position which "it occupies at the end of a staple driving operation. In this figure there is also shown a staple which has been driven through several sheets of paper in the position which it occupies on the anvil when said anvil is positioned so as to bend the staple legs in a manner to permit a ready removal of the staple, as desired. In-other words, the staple has been bent so as to temporarily secure the several sheets of paper together.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of a strip of staples that is employed in the machine.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the forward end of a horizontally-extending staple guideway member with which the machine is provided and upon which the strip of.

staples as shown in Fig. 14 is supported when in the stapling machine. In Fig. 15 there 15 also shown a set of checking pawls provided at the forward end of the staple guideway member to preventa backward movement of the strip of staples when in the machine.

In Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9,12, 13, 14 and 15 the parts are shown somewhat enlarged; in other words, on a larger scale than the corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusiveand Figs. 10 and 11.

In the drawings the reference character 1 designates the base of the machine upon which there is pivotally mounted at 2, on upwardly extending lugs 5, an upper frame or movable member 3. The base 1 of the machine is substantially rectangular in plan,

as will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 8. and there is provided at each of the four corners thereof a rubber foot or pad 4 .which pads serve as anti-friction members, or in other words, as members to protect the surface of a desk or table upon which the stapling machine is placed when being used. This base is preferably constructed so that it can be made by casting, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a machine employing a cast base, and is provided at the rear portionthereof with the lugs 5 which extend not only upwardly but also longitudinally and are spaced from each other so as to provide a receiving space for a portion of the frame or movable member 3. At the forward portion of the base there is provided a pair of upwardly and transversely extending lugs 6 spaced from each other and between which there is supported an anvil 7 sliding of the staple which anvil is clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 13. The anvil 7 is maintained in position on its base by means of a rivet or pin 8.

An inspection of Figs. 6 and 7 will make it clear that this anvil can be swung by means of a handle 9 so as to assume the position shown in either Fig. 6 or Fig. 7. In Fig. 6 that portion of the anvil is uppermost which causes the ends of the legs 11 of the staple 12 to be deflected inwardly toward each other as the plunger 13, .which is slidably mounted in the upper frame or movable member 3, is forced downwardly toward the anvil. In Fig. 7 that portion of the anvil is uppermost which causes the ends of position which it occupies at the end of the driving operation. It is well known that a staple comprises what may be considered a cross-bar as 14.and two depending legs, as 11, 11. In Fig. 13 it will be observed that the cross-bar 14 extends as from the right to the left and-that it engages the top surface of the upper layer of several sheets of paper, as g). It will also be observed that the legs of the staple have been driven through the several sheets of paper and that the ends'of the legs of the staple have en'- gaged the deflecting surfaces 15 and 16 which extend-downwardly and to the left whereby the staple legs are bent to the left below the under side of the lower sheet of paper stapled thereby. The depression or clenching groove 17 of the anvil, which depression or clenchin groove is directly underthe cross-bar of the staple, is deeper than the depression or clenching groove 18 of the anvil, which last-mentioned depression or clenching groove is under the cross-bar of the .staple but at the left thereof. The depression or clenching groove 17 is made deeper than the depression or clenching groove 18 in order that the leg at the right hand end of the staple will not seize the sheets of paper secured by the staple as such seizure would prevent the ready removal of the staple. Therefore, there is left sufficient play between the lower surface of the lower sheet of paper and the upper surface of the leg that is directly below the crossbar of thestaple to permit the ready removal of the staple. This ready removal is facilitated by the curve 11 in the leg of the staple which permits the easy sliding of the sheets of paper along the staple leg or what is the same thing permits the easy leg through the sheets of paper.

In F i 13 it will be observed that each of the stap e legs is bent so as to assume a relatively smooth curve,

that each is bent down-.

- that each has a central portion, as 11and 11 which'is substantially parallel with the cross-bar of the staple, and that each has a slightly upwardly deflecting portion, as 11" and 11, extending toward the left. The parts 11 and 11 may be referred to as the bar portions since they are the portions of the legs that are nearest to the cross-bar, while the parts 11 and 11 are referred to as the central portions since they are the.

central portions of the legsthe parts 11 and 11 may be obviously referred to as the end portions. Of course the bar portion of any one leg merges into the central portion and the central portion in turn merges into the end portion.

In some instances the legs of the staple are not bent quite enough to assume the trueparallel central position and in such case the free ends of the legs may extend to the left and slightly downwardly, although in most cases they will at least assume a position where some part of the leg will be substantiallyparallel with the horizontally extendin' cross-bar. That portion of the leg which is bent downwardly and to a position directly below the cross-bar may be referred to as the portion which is bent downwardly and inwardly while that portion of the leg' which extends downwardly from the crossbar, but away therefrom may be referred to as being bent downwardly and outwardly.

It will also be observed that the operative depressions or clenching grooves of the anvil, as shown in Figs. 7 and 13, which control the bending of the legs are unsymmetrically arranged with respect to the plunger and they are made of unequal depths and are constructed so that when the staple is driven through several sheets of paper the staple may be removed, as has been elsewherepointed out, whereas. the operative depressions or clenching grooves of the anvilas shown in Fig. 6 which control the .is shown in perspective in Fig. 15. The bodv member 19 1s slotted at 21.at the lower end portion thereof+-so as to receive the guide-' way member 20 which fits said slotted por tion 21. This member 20 is fixedly secured to the body member 19, or the body member is fixedly secured to the guideway member, by means 'of pins or.rivets 22 whereby the guideway member 20 and body member 19 in effect become one member, and it is the guideway member 20 which is pivotally connected at 2 to the base 1. The body member 19 has 30 of the upper legs or arms 31*.

a vertically extending guideway 23 in which .there is slidably mounted the vertically movable plunger 13. This plunger 13 is shown inperspective in Fig. 10 and is provided at the upper end thereof with a head or cap 24. Said head or cap 24 is secured to the plunger 13 in any suitable manner as, for example, by brazing. A compression spring 25 surrounds the upper ends of the plunger and normally presses the plunger to its uppermost position. The guideway opening 23 is 'definedby a cylindrical portion 26 and a smaller rectangular portion 27. The plunger 13 has a small squared portion 28 at the lower end thereof which passes through, the rectangular portion 27 and a substantially cylindrical portion 29 that is located in the cylindrical portion 26. The portion 29 is flattened at 29 to provide a receiving space for the ends 30 of feeding pawls 31 which are pivotally mounted at 32 on the die casting or body member 19. Said feeding pawls are held in place-onthe die casting by means of a rivet 33 which passes through a bushing 34 provided in said die casting. In order that the stapling machine may be light the die casting 19 is preferably aluminum and this bushing which is of steel is provided to prevent undue wear at said point. The feeding pawls 31 are of stamped sheet metal and are made of springy material whereby the lower forward ends 35 of the pawls can slide rea rwardly over the depending legs of a staple next to that being driven preparatory to engaging the rear edges, 02 w, of the legsof said staple, and preparatory to feeding the strip of staples to a position where a staple, as y (see Fig. 3) can be driven by the downward movement of the plunger.

From an inspection of Fig. 1 itwill be observed that each forward feeding pawl 31 is a bell-crank lever which is in effect U-shape. This U-shape member has leg orarm portions 31 and 31 which extend substantially horizontally and a relatively long cross-bar 31 that extends vertically, the pivotal point 32 being located adjacent to the junction of ghe upper leg and the upper end of the cross- An inspection of Figs. 1, 4, 10 and 11 will make it clear that the plunger is provided with shoulder portions 36 that normally'engage the under sides 37 of the forward ends The plunger also has shoulder portions 38 that engage the upper edges 39 of the forward ends 30 of the upper legs or arms 31 when the plunger has been moved downwardly a sufiicient distance from its normal position,

it being understood that the normal position of the plunger isthe uppermost'position or the position which the plunger occupies when the stapling machine is not in use. The U- shape members 31 constitute what may be broadly considered a bell-crank lever con- &

struction that'is pivotally mounted on the frame so as t provide the downwardly extending feeding pawls and a forwardly extending upper arm portion that is engaged by the shoulder portion of the plunger whereby as the plunger is moved downwardly the upper arm portion of the bell-crank lever construction is engaged so as to move the feeding pawls rearwardly and whereby on the upward movement of the plunger the other-shoulder portion will engage the same arm portion to move the feeding pawls forwardly. This arm portion of the bell-crank lever construction also provides a means for limiting the upward movement of the plunger thus holding the plunger in place in the frame, this because the forwardly extending arm portion engages a shoulder portion 46 on the frame, as will hereinafter more fully appear. It will therefore be seen that the bell-crank lever construction provides not only the means for feeding the strip of staples forwardly but also the means for retaining the. plunger in the frame.

The ehine is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 14 and is the same as the-strip of staples illustrated and described in my prior United States Patent No. 1,106,938, granted August 11. 1914, and it will be observed that the strip of staples shown in Fig. 14 is provided with a longitudinal groove-portion 40 that serves to connect the several staples of the strip and that the legs equal length. This strip of staples is inserted in the rear end of the machine and is moved forwardly until the forward staple of the strip is in position to be severed from the rest of the strip by the plunger as it is forced downwardly. The staple is clearly shown in this position in Figs. 1 and 3.

When it is desired to employ the stapling machine and with the strip of staples shown in Figs. 1 and 3, theplunger is forced downwardly and engages the-top of the staple y first serving to sever, at 2 the staple 31 from of each staple are of the rest of the staples in the strip. At this time the lower squared end 28 of-the plunger and the forward upper end 41 of the horizontally extending guidewaymember 20 act as shears. The continued downward movement of the plunger then forces the staple legs through, for example, the several sheets of paper to be secured, thence into engagement with the approaching faces Y or Z of the anvil 7, dependent upon which face of the anvil is uppermost and dependent upon whether the staple is to be employed as a permanent binder or as a temporary binder. The guideway member 20 is notched at 42- at the upper forward portion thereofso as to provide a receiving space for a spring 43 which carries at the forward end thereof a set of checking or holding pawls 44, there bestrip of staples employed in the ma- (see particularly Fig. 12).

ing a pawl at each side of the guideway member 20. This spring 43 has a depending portion 43* \vhichenters a transversely extending slot 20 in depending portion 43* serves to hold the spring 43 in place. The spring 43 and pawls 44 thereof constitute what may be referred to as a checking pawl construction that holds the strip of staples against rearward movement when the feeding pawls are being moved rearwardly preparatory to a feeding operation. This set of checking pawls is constructed so as to permit a forward movement of the staples in the strip past the pawls but so as to oppose a backward movement as above indicated. The pawls are located so as to engage the rear edge of the cross-bar of the staple m-the staple next to the one just driven.

It will here be noted that before the plunger 13 reaches its lowest position the shoulder portions 38 thereof strike the upper ends 39 of the upper forwardly extending legs 31 of the feeding pawls, which feeding pawls it will be noted are located on opposite sides of the die casting or body member 19 The rest of the downward movement of the plunger 13 forces the forward ends of the legs or arms 31* downwardly and imparts a rearward movement to the legs 3-1. Since the checking pawls 44 are in engagement with the staple m it is manifest that the staple strip cannot move backwardly and consequently the forward ends 35 of the feeding pawls at the ends of the legs 31 can be sprung outwardly and can slide over the outer sides of the legs of the staple m past the legs of the staple m and to a position 35 of the feeding pawls can spring inwardly and engage the rear edges, w, :v of the staple m. lVhen the parts are in this position-that is with the plunger in its lowest position-it will be observed that the staple 3 has been properly driven and now the parts of the stapling machine are ready to assume their normal position when the pressure is lifted from the head 24. With the release of pressure from the head 24 the spring 25 performs its function of forcing the plunger to its normal position and when the plunger is moved upwardly a suflicient distance the shoulder portions 36 engage the under sides 37 of the forwardly extending legs 3]" and thus forces the lower legs 31 of the feeding pawls forwardly whereby the staple m is brought to the position of the former staple y and thus a succeeding series of operations can be performed.

The design of the stapling machine is such that when the lower forward ends 35 of the feeding pawls are in engagement with the staple y they force said staple intow en- I gagement with the guideway portion 45 of the guideway member 20 and this where the forward ends' the die casting or member 19. .When

the partsare in' this position the upper edge 39 of the upper leg or arm 31 is in engagement with a shoulder portion 46 'that is on the die casting or body member 19.- By this constructionthe forward feeding pawls 00-.

cupy substantially the same normal position, whether ornot a strip of staples is in the machine. It will be observed that the upper partof the horizontally extending guideway member 20 is grooved at 47 so as to provide a receiving space for the under side of the.

grooved portion 40 of the strip of staples.

-The die casting'or body member 19 is also provided with a depending projection 48 that enters the groove of the portion 40 of the strip of staples. If, however, it is desired to employ a stripof staples which does not have this particular groove, this can be done by eliminating the lower projection 48 and with such a construction the upper surface of the guidewaymember 20 could be made flat, if desired. I prefer, however, to employthe staples such as are shown in, my before-mentioned Patent No. 1,104,938 and which staples are-also shown in Fig. 14 herein, as the grooved portion of the staple can be relied upon to facilitate the removal of a. 'driven staple, if desired, as will hereinafter appear,but it will be understood that the invention in its broad aspect is not limited .to the employment of this particular form of staple.

When it is desired to removethe staple shown in Fig. 13 this can be readily done by holding in the left hand the papers secured by the staple, by placing the nail of the thumb in the longitudinally extending groove portion 40 of the staple, and by seizing the right hand end o'f the staple'between the thumb and the first finger, the latter of which will engage the under side of the leg at the right hand end of the staple. By movement to the right the staple will be readily removed from place and this will be accomplishing without damaging or mutilating the papers. To accomplish this, however, it will be necessary to bend the papers at the right hand end of the staple downwardly, 1n order to permit the thumb to engage the-top of the cross-bar and to permit the first finger to engage the under side of the leg at the right hand side of the staple, as above indicated, but this action will not 1Il]l116 the papers.

It has been described in detail how a staple can be driven in a manner to permit its ready removal from the papers. There are times, however, when it is desired to drive the staple so thatit will permanently secure the papers together. When such a condition is desired the staple is bent to assume the form shown in Fig. 8 and the anvil 7 is employed with the operative surface Y ing in its uppermost position. From what has precededit will be clear that by merely swlnging the anvil about a horizontally extending axis either the operative surface Y or the operative surface Z can be brought uppermost and in operative relationship with respect to the plunger whereby either mode of fasteningdesired can be obtained.

Itiwill be observed that the forward feed- 'awl-s 31 provide not only means for feeding the strip of staples forwardly as the plunger is raised but they also provide means that serve as stops to limit the upward movement of the. plunger and to hold the" plunger in place when the machine parts are assembled. The embodying of these two functions in the feeding pawls provide a construction whereby .the several parts can be held in proper position relative to each other merely by the insertion of asingle member in place, to wit, the rivet or pin 33. It will be observed that in the assembling of the complete machine there isrequired onlythe insertion of the rivet which holds the anvil in place on the base, of the two rivets 22.

which hold the horizontally extending guideway member on the casting, the rivet at 2 which connects the upper movable member to the base, and the rivet 23 which secures the feeding pawls in operative position on the die casting or body member 19, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simple construction which permits the parts to be readily assembled with a comparatively small amount of labor.

The machine which is the basis of the presentinven-tion is particularly adapted for use in the performing of the invention described and claimed in my companion application Serial No. 127,318 filed October 24,

staples, a plunger slidable in a verticallyextending guideway in said frame and arranged so as to sever a staple from the strip, and an anvil arranged below said plunger,

said anvil having under the right hand side of said plunger an anvil surface which ex- .tends downwardly to the left and thence upwardly to the left and which anvil surface is arranged so as to deflect and bend to the left the right leg of the staple, said anvil also having at the left hand side of the .being deeper than the plunger an anvil surface which extends staple.

2. A machine for driving and bending staples which machine comprises'in combination a frame having a horizontally-extending guideway for supporting a strlp of staples, a plunge-r slidable in a verticallyextending guideway in said frame and arranged so as to sever a staple fromsaid strip, and an anvil arranged below said plunger, said anvil having under the right hand side of said plunger an anvil surface which extends downwardlyto :the left and thence upwardly to the left so as to provide a depression or clenching groove, said anvil also having under the left hand sideof the plunger an anvil surface which extends downwardly to the left to provide a second depression or clenching groove, the construction being such that the depth of the lirstinentioned depression or clenching groove is greater than the depth of the last-mentioned depression or clenching groove.

3. A machine-for driving and bending staples which machine comprises in combina tion a frame having a horizontally-extending guideway for supporting a strip of staples, a plunger slidable in a verticallyextending guideway in said frame and ar ranged to sever a staple from said strip, and

I an anvil arranged below said plunger, said anvil having under the right hand side of the plunger an anvil surface which extends downwardly and inwardly, thence upwardly and inwardly, thus providing a depression or clenching groove, said anvil also having under the left hand side of the vplunger an anvil surface which extends downwardly and outwardly, thus providing a second depression or clenching groove, the construction being such that one of said depression or clenching grooves is deeper than the other.

4:. A machine v for driving and bending staples which machine comprises in combina tion a frame having a horizontally-extending guideway for supporting a strip of staples, a plunger slidable in a vertically extending guideway in saidframe and arranged to sever a staple from said strip, and an anvil arranged below said plunger, said anvil having under the right hand side of the plunger an anvil surface which extends downwardly and inwardly, thence upwardly and inwardly, thus providing a depression or clenching groove, said anvil also havingunder the left hand side of the plunger an anvil surface which extends downwardly and outwardly, thus providing a second depression or clenching groove, the depression or clenching groove at the right one at the left.

5. In combination with a strip of staples, all legs of which areof equal length, a frame providing a guideway for supporting said strip, a plunger for severing a staple from said strip when the latter is on said supporting guideway, an anvil arranged in the path of the plunger, which anvil is provided with depressions or clenchin grooves of unequal depth that are engage by the. free ends of the legs of the severed staple while the plunger is in engagement with the cross-bar of the staple and is forcing the staple downwardly', the depressions or clenching grooves of said anvil being constructed so that the staple legs are deflected laterally in the same direction and so that each staple leg is bent into a curve as the plunger forces the staple legs downwardly against the anvil.

6. In combination, a frame providing a guideway for supporting a strip of staples, a plunger for sever-111g a staple from said strip when the latter is on said supporting guideway, an anvil arranged in the path of the plunger, which anvil is provided with depressions or clenching groove portions that are engaged by the free end of the legs of the severed staple while the plunger is in engagement with the cross-bar of the staple and is forcing the staple downwardly, the

depressions or clenching groove portions of Same direction but so that each staple leg is bent into a curve as the plunger forces the staple legs downwardly against the anvil.

7. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a base, a frame providing a horizontally and longitudinally-extending guideway for receiving thereupon a strip of staples an also providing a vertically-extending guideway for receiving therein a vertically-movable plunger, a plunger in said vertically-extending guideway for severing a staple from the strip and for driving the several staples, an anvil on the base which anvil is located under said plunger, and a strip of staples, having legs of equal length, on said horizontally-extending guideway, the anvil being provided with depressions or clenching grooves of unequal depth which depressions or clenching grooves are defined by deflected surfaces whlch are arranged so that as a staple which has been severed from the strip by the downward movement of the plunger is forced, during the continued movement of the plunger, downwardly against said surfaces of the anvil the free ends of the legs will'be defiected laterally in the same direction.

8. A stapling machine of the class described comprising in combination a ide way for supporting a strip of stapes, a

f nae-nose 'anvil below said plunger which anvil is provided with. depressions or clenching grooves that are unsymmetrically arranged with respect to a plane passing throu h the center of the guideway and oonstructe was to turn theends of the staple in the same direction and so that when the staple 1s driven the depending legs thereof will be deflected in a manner to permit the ready removal of the staple.

9. A stapling machine having a vertically movable-plunger and an anvil provided wlth depressions or clenching grooves, which anvil can be positioned so that the depending legs of a staple will, enter said depressions or clenching grooves in a manner to be deflected laterally in the same direction and in a manner to be bent with smooth curve as the staple is driven downwarilliy and while the anvil remains as position 10. A stapling machine having a plunger for driving a staple, andan anvil'having depressions or clenching grooves unsymmetrically arranged in respect to the plunger, which depressions or clenching grooves are of unequal depth and are constructed so that when the staple is driven through several sheetsof paper the staple can be removed without mutilating the paper.

11. In combination, a staple supporting guideway member, a strip ofstaples supported thereon, a plunger, and an anvil arranged sothat'the plunger can sever a staple from the strip of staples on the guideway and can force the staple toward the anvil,

the staple thus severed having legs of equal length and the anvil having depressionsor clenching grooves of unequal depth and constructed so that as the plunger forces the staple toward and in engagement with the anvil one of the legs of the staplewill be bent inwardly under the supporting bar and whereby the other leg of the staple will be bent away from the bar.

12. A stapling machine of the class described comprising'in combination a horizontally-extending guideway for supporting a strip of staples, a vertically-movable driving plunger for severing a staple from said strip of staples and for driving the legs of I ing guideway, and an anvil which can be po= sit1oned under said limger and-which anvll' is stationary when ctioning, saidanvil having depressions orclenching grooves for deflecting the ends of a staple as it is driven downwardly by said plunger, one of said depressions or clenching grooves being. ar

ranged under aside portion of the plunger and extending downwardly and inward-1y. the other of said surfaces being arranged' under the other side portion ofthe plunger and extending downwardly and outwardly.-

14. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a base having'thereupon an anvil member, a frame pivoted at its rear side to said base, said frame providing a horizontally-extending guideway for a strip of staples, also a vertically-extending guideway, a plunger slidably mounted in said vertically-extending guideway and arranged to sever a staple from said strip and force it downward against said anvil, feeding pawls pivotally mounted at their upper end upon said framehaving the free ends thereof extending downwardly over the staples in said strip, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon said frame and engaging a rearward extension on saidpawls, said lever being arranged so that it is actuated by'the plunger as it is raised and lowered,-and checking pawls carried by said frame, the feeding pawls being yieldable whereby they can move outwardly as they are moved rearwardlyin order to pass over and subsequently engage the rear edge of the legs of 7 a staple preparatory to feeding the strip of staples forward, said checking pawls being of springy material located above the staples and constructed so as to engage the rear'edge of a staple which is to be subsequently driven.

15. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a base having thereuponan anvil member, a frame pivoted to,

said base, said frame providing a horizontally-extending guideway for a strip of staples and also a vertically-extending guideway, a plunger slidably mounted in said vertically-extending guideway and arranged to sever a staple from said strip and force it downward'a'gainst said anvil, check ing pawls carried by the frame, and a bell-- crank lever construction providing feeding pawls, the lower free ends of which feeding pawls extend downwardly over the staples of said strip, said bell-crank lever constructioir being pivotally mounted at its upper portion upon said frame and having a forwardly extending arm portion that is engaged by said plunger, the arm portion of,

said bell-crank lever construction being arranged so that the latter. is actuated by the plunger as the plunger is raised and lowered, the feeding pawls being yieldable whereby they can move outwardly as they are moved rearwardly in order to over and subsequently engage the rear edges of the legs of a staple preparatory to feeding the strip of staples forward.

upon an anvil member, a frame pivoted to said base, said frame providing a horizontally-extending guideway for a .strip of staples and also a vertically-extending guideway, a plunger slidably mounted in said vertically-extending guideway and arranged to sever a staple from said strip and force it downward against said anvil, checking pawls, carried by said frame, and a bellcrank lever construction providing feeding pawls, the lower free ends of which feeding pawls extend downwardly over the staples of said strip, the bell-crank lever construction being pivotally mounted, at its uppe portion upon said frame and having a forwardly extending arm portion that'is engaged by said plunger whereby the bellcrank lever construction is actuated by the plunger as the latter is raised and lowered, the feeding pawls being yieldable whereby they can move outwardly as they are moved rearwardly in order to pass over and subsequently engage the rear edges of the legs of a staple preparatory to feeding the strip of staples forward, said checking pawls being constructed so as to engage a rear edge of a staple which is to be subsequently driven.

17. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a basehaving thereupon an anvil member, a frame mounted on said base, which frame provides a horizontally-extending guideway for a strip of staples and also a vertically-extending guideway, a plunger slidably mounted in said verticallyextending guideway and arranged to sever a staple from said strip and force the staple downwardly against said anvil, and a bell-crank lever con struction providing feeding pawls for feeding the strip of staples forwardly, which bell-crank lever construction is pivotally mounted upon said frame and has a forwardly extending arm portion at the upper end thereof which is engaged by said plunger as said plunger moves upwardly thus imparting a forward feed movement to the bell-crank Lever construction, said frame having a stop and said bell-crank lever construction being arranged so as -to engage said stop in a'manner such that the upward movement of the plunger is limited by said arm portion of the bell-crank lever construction.

18. A machine of the class described comprising in combination a base having thereupon an anvil member, a frame mounted on said base, said frame providing a horizontally-extending guideway for a strip of staples and also a vertically-extending guideway, a plunger slidably mounted in said vertically-extending guideway and arranged to sever a staple from said strip and force the staple downwardly against said anvil, and a bell crank lever construction providing feeding pawls for feeding the strip of staples forwardly, which bell-crank lever construction is pivotally mounted upon said frame and has a forwardly extending arm or leg portion at the upper end thereof which is engaged by said plunger as said plunger moves upwardly for imparting forward feed movement to the bell-crank lever construction, said frame having thereupon 'a stop and said arm or leg portion being arranged so as to engage said stop on the frame whereby the upward moven'lent of the plunger is limited by said arm or leg portion, said frame also carrying a checking pawl for holding the strip of staples against rearward movement while the feeding pawl is being moved rearwardly preparatory to a feeding operation.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of January, A. D. 1918.

EDWIN T. GREENFIELD.

Signed in the presence of EDWIN A. PACKARD, HENRY T. HORNIDGE. 

